The Journey Home
by Faelise
Summary: AU. After years away from home, Levy is looking forward to getting home, the only problem is, its not as easy as she thought. Her new travel companion will hopefully make the journey an interesting one though.
1. Chapter 1

Four years. Four whole years she had been away from home. Sure, University had been a wonderful learning experience, but boy did she miss home. After finally graduating with the highest honours, she had spent several months looking for work back home, desperate to return to the place she had called home throughout her childhood. Although she had chosen to study elsewhere, it was the only place she thought about during her holidays alone, confined to the walls of her small room. Despite meeting many people in her classes, none of them connected with her enough in a way she could be herself around them. However, all those Summers spent studying alone would all be worth it when she returned back to her long time friends. She had stayed in contact with most of them during her time away, discussing their daily lives and the shenanigans they got up to, she craved to hold them in her arms once again. Her family had also been estatic to see her once again, they had come to visit one Christmas during her second year away, but travel costs were expensive and her family weren't exactly the wealthiest of people. She was determined to change that once she returned. She would make sure all her time away had been worth it, making up for lost birthday presents and Christmases together. Sure, she was twenty two years old now, but they were still her parents, the ones who used to bake her cookies when she was sad and help her back up whenever she felt down. She hugged the coat that was trapped in the grasp of her arms, soon, she would be back with all the people she loved.

He was desperate to get home, why he had to leave on this job in the first place, he had no clue. He wasn't even the best at his job, yet he had been flown out specifically for his services. To think, the whole city had not even one mechanic who knew what he was doing, the pay certainly wasn't worth the 5 hour travel and days away from home. He would never admit it to anyone else, but he enjoyed the comfort of his home, knowing where everything was, being the boss of the room, in control of cleanliness and everything in between. Mostly, he missed his companion. He had been away on a work call out for 5 days now and was desperate to see his feline friend as soon as possible. He really didn't care about anyone else back at home, sure, his friends were great, but his time away from them wasn't that bad. Although he missed their loudness on occasion, he finally felt free from their judgement, ever since he had broken up with his last girlfriend several months ago, they had constantly been trying to set him up, despite their own lack of love lives. He never had been one to take in scenery, but the quiet nights of watching the snow were quite calming, a fact he would never tell anyone. The cold air of the city had been refreshing compared to back home, especially with it having a small population of people. Now that his work was done, he had packed his bags and was ready to head home.

She exited the taxi and handed over the man a few coins and was grateful for his help with her suitcase. Most of her stuff had already been sent home to be unpacked by her family, who had managed to set her up with a small apartment with the last of their savings. She was glad to be finally owning a place of her own, considering she had spent most of her life sharing a room with other people. Finally, she would have all the room she needed for her extensive collection of reading material, with nobody to judge her. As she pulled her rucksack over her shoulders, she stood on the side of the pavement taking in the scenery. Her eyes looked up to the few clouds that dotted the sky, lost in a mixture of light yellows and blues with a few stars slowly appearing in the sky. The sun was falling behind a load of mountains in the west as the cold air nipped at her fingertips, causing her to shove her hands deep into her warm pockets. She loved the cold weather that winter brought, when she was inside that it. Her books were always comforting when she was nestled down in a blanket, watching the snow fall outside her window, a view she would probably miss back home.

"Thank you for everything" she spoke quietly to herself before grabbing the handle of her suitcase and pulling it through the doors. Her flight wasn't for another few hours, but since she needed to check in her rather large suitcase, she thought it best to arrive early. Removing the bobble hat that sat atop her head, her azure locks bounced from their prison and down to her shoulders, piratically blending in with the deep blue of her jacket. After a sigh of relief, she headed towards the line to check in her bag, hoping to have enough time afterwards to find a place to read.

He jumped out of the taxi and delved into his pocked for what change he had left, quickly shoving the coins into the mans hands before grabbing his rucksack. As the taxi drove off down the road, he stared out at the sky and breathed in the air as he whipped out his phone. His flight wasn't till 8pm and with the flight being 5 hours, he wouldn't be home till late at night. As he strapped the bag over his back, he opened his messages and hovered over a name. The last message from the person had been a day ago, telling them that they would only text in an emergency. His friend had been looking after his cat and although she was usually alright for a day, this was different. He knew his feline was in good care, but he still worried for his safety at times. Cursing to the sky, he shoved the phone back inside his pocked and headed inside from the cold. When inside, he moved his way through a crowd of people before finding the check in line. On arrival, his bag had been small and light, only carrying a few tools and clothes, but the customer had been so happy with his work that his bag was now stuffed with trinkets and random objects. For the amount of travelling he had done, he wasn't exactly sure the pay was worth it, at least he could sell some of these stupid items now. Approaching the line, he seemed to be in luck as only what appeared to be a small child was in front of him, yet, she was alone. He stood quietly in the line and watched as she seemed to become flustered at the desk. Not wanting a stupid kid to stop him from getting his coffee, he pushed up beside her and dropped his bag.

"Looking for your parents shorty" he laughed to himself before being met with the exact opposite of a child. His eyes fixated on her curvaceous body that clung to the fabric surrounding it. Her blue curls fell down past her shoulders and although she was short, she certainly had the assets of a young lady.

"Excuse me?" She puffed her cheeks and gave him a small tap on the arm. Her head tilted up and her eyes met his. His long black hair fell partly down the front of his chest, with the rest pushed over his shoulders. His face was lined with piercings, with even his eyebrows being replaced by metal. "Huh" She snorted "They let you through security like that" she crossed her arms and gave him a smirk before turning back to the desk.

"Are you sure you don't need an adult to supervise you?" he grunted back in retaliation, mimicking her stance as he in turn crossed over his arms.

"Sir" a bright and cheery voice came from behind the desk and his head jerked to face her. "I'm going to have to ask you to get back into the line as I'm dealing with this customer at the moment"

"Well don't be takin' ya sweet time, I have a flight too yanno" His arms unfolded and went to pick up his bag, listening as the short ladies voice became more worried as she spoke

"Please, isn't there anything you can do, I have to get back to Magnolia tonight"

"Did you just say Magnolia?" The straps of his bag loosened from his grip, causing the bag to fall to the floor, creating a loud thud.

"Yes, and whats it to you metal head" She looked up towards him and met his eyes with an intense stare.

"Nothing much, 'cept my flight is going there"

"I'm afraid it won't be going anywhere today Sir" the woman chimed in from behind the desk.

"What exactly do you mean?" He leaned forward and placed his arms across the desk, causing the lady to back away slightly. He liked it when people were scared of him, it usually meant he would get his way.

"Well, there's bad weather, meaning the only way to get to Magnolia is by foot or car"

"But that's almost a days drive, and I dare not guess how long it would take to walk" the small lady chimed in, practically standing on her toes to meet the woman face to face.

"Of course, your flights will be refunded and we've got a few taxis paid for to take you there" The lady bent down and pulled out a pair of tickets, sliding one in the direction of each of them, before quickly moving further away from the desk and running behind a door.

"HEY!" The man yelled as his arms pushed him up onto the desk, attempting to chase after her. A small pair of arms wrapped themselves around his waist and tugged him hard enough to send him flying backwards onto his back. He slowly picked himself up, rubbing the back of his neck from pain, but his bag had luckily cushioned his back as he fell. Or so he thought. He looked down to find the blue haired lady lying motionless on the floor where he had been just a few seconds ago. Her eyes slowly opened as she sat herself up and rubbed the back of her head.

"You should be more careful short stuff" He laughed as he grabbed onto her hand, jerking her body and pulling her to her feet.

"Levy"

"Huh?"

"My name. Its Levy, so no need for the nicknames" she huffed as she rubbed the dirt off her dress.

"Gajeel" He replied as he stuck out a hand. Her small hand practically vanished in his hand and almost got crushed from his tight grip. He glanced over her as she bent down to grab her bag, giving it a strong tug to move it from its position. He watched as she struggled to move the thing, questioning what on earth could be inside. Eventually, he had seen enough and hung his rucksack over his shoulder before moving next to her.

"What do you think you're doing?" she looked directly at him, hands still firmly grasping onto the handle as if her life depended on it.

"Tryna give ya a hand, least I can do after squashin' ya body like that, seein' as ya can't get any smaller" he laughed to himself as he pushed her grip off the handle, replacing her hands with his own, he grunted at the weight before the thing started moving behind him. She stood still, watching him for a while, before quickly following behind him. The pair headed for the door, tickets in hand, the journey home was going to be long and arduous one.


	2. Chapter 2

Cold air wriggled its way though the open holes of her jacket, sending a cold chill down her back as she stepped outside. Her feet towered over the edge of the curb as she rocked herself in her place, attempting to keep herself warm. The town had always been beautiful during the winter, what with the sun quickly fading at night, letting the stars cast their small specks of light over the sky. Tonight however, the grey clouds blocked out portions of the sky, leaving only a few dots of white littered above. The street lamps that stood across on the other side of the road provided minimal lighting, with a few cars passing by shining their lights over her body. Her attention turned to the man beside her, bag still slung over his shoulder, that horrible look still on his face. His face didn't show that he felt the cold, but his trouser ends being tucked into his heavy boots told her all she needed to know. Her eyes traced over his body, noticing his long arm extended out towards the road, his thumb standing out from his closed fist. Several cars passed by without a second glance, causing his hand to drop back to his side in frustration.

"Damn cars, why won't they stop" he murmured to himself, loud enough for her to hear

"Because they can't see you in the dark" She moved closer to him, pointing at the broken lights that sat on the roof above them. As a car approached she turned to him, a small smirk forming on her face "Watch this"

"If nobody saw me, how on earth they gonna see you short stuff?" his arms crossed his chest as he watched her tentatively place one of her feet into the road.

"They don't have to" she replied as her hand rose to her face. Her fingers were freed from the confines of her glove, before her fingers slowly pushed through her soft lips and into her mouth. As the car approached, she let out a high pitched whistle as her other arm waved at the taxi. To his surprise, it pulled up in front of them, causing her to turn to face him, a large smirk on her face. As the man stepped out of the taxi, he grabbed her large suitcase as he stared at the two of them.

"Don't see many couples coming out here these days" he smiled at the pair as their faces turned to ones of confusion and disgust.

"I'm not dating no kid!" he grunted back

"I'm 22 you know!" she huffed back, punching him in the arm before taking a step away from him. As the man placed the large suitcase in the back, he quickly looked over Gajeel as he stood quietly on the pavement

"Want me to put your bag in the back too?"

"Whadya mean by that?"

"Well, I doubt it'll fit at your feet, I guess we could put it in the front instead"

"I think you got the wrong idea pal" Gajeel replied sharply, taking a step closer to the man, his face only inches away from his own.

"I think you do, pal" the man murmured. "Look, there's a storm coming and people don't wanna work, so you guys gotta share, plus it'll be cheaper for you both" The man stepped away as he opened the door for the lady who eagerly jumped inside to avoid the cold. Looking around, Gajeel could see no other Taxis for a while, and didn't plan on waiting around for another one to show up. reluctantly, he handed the man his large rucksack, and moving to the other side of the car, choosing to sit with Levy in the back. As the man struggled to lift the heavy bag into the front of the car, Gajeel watched Levy slowly removed her padded coat and followed in toe. Finally seated in the drivers seat, the driver turned to face the pair.

"Where you headed then?"

"Magnolia. And fast." Gajeel nodded at the driver who nodded in compliance.

"With this storm, its not going to be quick but I'll get you there." Turning his head around, he buckled himself in and drove away from the airport toward the main road. Levy stared out of the window as he drove, looking up at the scenery around them, or what she could make out of it. As they made it to the main road, tall spruce trees lined the side of the road, a few lamp posts every few seconds lighting up the dark leaves that surrounded them. Every few trees, a small gap would form in the leaves, letting the moon become visible in its path, she loved it. Eventually, as the trees got thicker and the lights became fewer, her eyes trailed off the view and back into the car. Looking around the interior, she noticed small holes within the back of the seats, accompanied by doodles and scribble, probably the work of a restless child. As her eyes continued to trail around, her eyes fell on him. Arm leaning against the door, head rested atop his arm, his eyes blankly gazing outside his window. She sat quietly, admiring the sight of him taking in the environment. A small smile sat on her face as her eyes glanced over his body, watching his chest move with his heartbeat, he was calm. His head quickly turned as his eyes met her for a split second before she turned away, glancing back at the window, watching his reflection more than outside.

"Starin' ain't polite kid, didn't your parents tell ya?" his eyes met hers as he looked towards her window, catching her staring back at him.

"Not exactly much else to look at, sorry" she glanced his way, an apologetic look washed over her face, her head slowly falling, eyes watching her hands as they sat together in her lap. As the car fell silent again, his eyes averted back to the window, still gazing at the tall trees around them. She twiddled her fingers as she remembered her bag along with its contents, her books. Her hand delved down towards her legs, reaching into the opening in her bag and pulling out a small book. The spine was worn along with the front, but she handled the thing with great delicacy as to not ware it any further. As her fingers traced over the bookmark, she opened the book and began quietly reading to herself. The smell of old paper lingered in the air, catching his attention and causing him to turn away from the window.

"So it was books huh" he spoke loudly as his hand reached out the grab the book from her grasp, but with no joy. Her body leaned away from his hand as she brought the book just out of his reach, sliding a finger in the pages as so not to lose her place.

"What was books?"

"Whatever was makin' ya suitcase so heavy, didn't know pages could make ya back hurt" His hand reached over his back and rubbed down on his skin, massaging the affected area.

"My suitcase isn't full of books, its mostly research and clothes, stuff I'll need when I get back home" she brought the book down from his reach, returning it to her lap as she reopened it to her original page. As she drifted back into her own world, the words on the pages formed a world inside her head, each part of the scenery aligning in her thoughts. Everything from the rocky mountains, to the tallest of oak trees, this wasn't just a story to her, it was an escape.

"So whatzit 'bout" a deep voice broke into her ears, dissolving the world and dragging her back to reality. The brightness of the imaginary sun contrasted with the darkness of the car, only the small light above them providing any way of seeing.

"Excuse me?" The words trailed from her lips and left a sour tang in the air, their meaning curious, but their presence harsh.

"The book, what is it about" he bit back at her words, a hint of care embedded within them, not that he'd let her see that.

"Oh, you wouldn't like it" She turned her attention towards him, staring deep into his gaze, not daring to weaken at his tenseness.

"Try me." A small smirk appeared on his face as his body leaned into hers, not daring to break his gaze. Her body tensed up, but stayed exactly where she was, he didn't scare her.

"Its about a princess and a dragon, I told you that you wouldn't like it"

"I haven't even heard it yet"

"Heard it" as her eyes moved from his, they fell back to his body, watching as he slowly moved back towards his window, hand once again propping up his head. As she gazed back into his eyes, he gave her a small nod, signalling to start.

"Ok then.." She carefully slid the bookmark back into its place, intending to start from the beginning, before a hand placed itself on her arm, stopping her from flicking through the pages.

"Start there" his words falling softly into her ears. She could sense his fatigue, a feeling they both shared, but she dare not sleep in the company of a stranger. Opening the pages back, she let her finger trace along the words, finding the part where she had left from. "Through the tallest of trees the flew, all the way to the peak of the mountain that resided over her home. She carefully descended from his back, slowly walking towards his face as she thanked him. Her hand gently cupped the side of his head, her fingers dancing over his rough scales, his rouge coloured skin now beginning to resemble her cheeks" As she continued onward, her words became enchanting, softening with each word. Not daring to move her eyes from the page, she failed to notice the sleeping man beside her, his head slowly sinking against the window, hands falling into his lap. Continuing with the story, the snow outside began to become visible to the driver as he turned on his wipers, it was falling dangerously fast. A storm was coming.


	3. Chapter 3

Dragons. His mind was full of the image. They swirled above his head, breathing fire and destroying the forest that surrounded him. They soared high around him, yet the sound of their wings was so loud, it felt like they were breathing down his neck. As they moved from his view, they flew away into the distance, landing gracefully on the peak of a mountain. His feet started moving, carrying his body up the rocky terrain of the mountainside. As he ascended higher up the side, the bodies of the dragons began to fade from his view one by one, disappearing into thin air. Finally, he had reached the top. His legs begged for rest but they slowly carried him toward the lone dragon that rested atop the mountain. With every step, the scales of the dragon began to disappear, followed by his wings, his legs and the rest of his body. Out of breath, he made one last dash towards the beast, hoping to see it in time. But it was gone. He stood in the vast hole left behind in the dragons place, falling to his knees from exhaustion. Cursing his slowness, his fists dug into the soft soil, imprinting his mark on the land. As he regained his breath, a small touch warmed his right fist, comforting him at a time of loss. His eyes trailed upwards to a sight more beautiful and rare than a dragon, a princess. Her hazel eyes filled with tears, a friendly smile plastered on her face. As the tears rolled down her rose tinted cheeks, she moved closer to him, her azure locks of hair bouncing on her shoulders as she did so. Her gentle touch met his hard skin, her fingers cupping the side of his face, wiping away his own tears of frustration. His eyes looked over her body, noticing a small pair of wings that extended out from behind her back. They fluttered in the wind, looking as fragile as a flower in the cold winter winds. Her forehead rested against his own as the tears still fell down his face before her lips parted forming one sole word. Gajeel. Her soft voice repeated his name again and again like a song, his ears were in heaven.

"Gajeel, Gajeel!" His eyes slowly fluttered open to the sound of her voice. As his vision became less blurry, her blue locks coloured his view of her face, closer to his than he'd like. Quickly sitting up, he noticed her body was outside of the car door, whilst her hand was gently placed on his forearm, shaking it in her grip. Her hazel eyes glimmered in their dark surroundings, reflecting the light of a nearby lamppost on the side of the road.

"What? We're in Magnolia already?" As she removed her hand from his arm, his head peered out of the car door at their destination. This wasn't Magnolia. No way in hell they were there already

"We had to stop" a deep voice came from behind Levy, staring down at him whilst he unbuckled his belt.

"Why's that?"

"The storm is making it so we can't go any further, so you folks will have to stay here for the night." As the man walked around to the back of the car, Gajeel stepped out from inside the car and noticed his bag thrown on the ground collecting snow.

"Oi! Don't just throw my stuff on the floor idiot" he growled at the driver, quickly moving towards his bag, wiping snow off the straps before slinging it over his shoulders.

"Theres a hotel nearby, those tickets you got will cover your cost for the night" His head popped out from behind the trunk of the car, carrying Levys suitcase as he emerged back into full view. Carefully placing down the suitcase beside the lady, he then quickly made his way back to the front of the car and entered the vehicle. As he strapped on his belt and prepared to leave, a set of hands landed on the front of the car, a tall figure blocking his exit.

"Where ya think you're goin'?" the shadowy figure called out, only slithers of his body being illuminated by a single lamppost.

"Home" the driver called out before quickly reversing, knocking the figure to the ground before he drove away from the scene and into the darkness.

His face flat on the ground, snowflakes gently landed across his body, melting quickly into his skin. After a few seconds, he slowly pushed his hands flat into the ground and found his way to his feet, before being met with the sound of laughter. Glancing around, he found Levy with her hands on her stomach, trying to contain a fit of laughter, but was failing badly.

"Stop laughing! S'not funny yanno" he grunted her way as he moved back onto the pavement, readjusting the straps on his bag as he did so.

"I'm sorry, its just that when your hands.. and then your body.. and then your face" her mouth quickly closed before any more giggles could escape her lips.

"I know what happened shorty, don't need to tell me" His hands folded over his chest as his eyes moved from her face toward the buildings that lay before them. Gone was the vast emptiness of the woods and replaced with rows of small cottages and buildings, stretching out of view and back into the darkness of the night. A sigh escaped his mouth and slowly faded away to the sky, turning his attention the lack of light illuminating the small village. He had no clue where they were, but all he knew was that is certainly wasn't home. "Where are we exactly" he called out the small figure beside him.

"The village is called BlueBell, its quite small so not many people know about its existence"

"Ok, but why are we here?" he grunted as he turned to face her, noting a small look of worry across her face.

"With the storm up ahead, we would've been trapped in snow if we had kept going, so we have to stay here tonight" her head tilted upwards, her eyes meeting his as she spoke. "The man said theres a small hotel we can stay the night at for free, so lets go" Her attention fell back towards her large suitcase as she grabbed the handle, attempting to pull it through the blanket of snow that had already fallen. He watched on for a while as she struggled before moving towards her, grabbing the handle from her grasp. As he grunted at its weight, he slowly tugged the wheels through the quickly setting snow. Walking though the village, he failed to see any other people apart from himself and Levy, although it was only around 8pm. The darkened streets seemed far too quiet for the amount of houses around, but he remembered the incoming storm and blamed it on that.

"Which way is is then?" he questioned her, not stopping to give her his full attention.

"The man said it was up here and to a right, it's called The Grand Hotel" a quiet voice answered behind him, if not for his impeccable hearing, he doubted he would have heard her. His boots continued to squash white flakes underneath him as they finally made it outside of the hotel. Looking up at the dimly lit sign that swung loosely above the door, he realised The Grand Hotel was anything but. As the winter winds continued to blow, he quickly moved his way inside the establishment, not caring about holding the door for Levy, causing it to swing shut on her face.

"Gee, thanks" she murmured as she held her face with her hands, rubbing her nose in pain

"If it weren't for me, your stuff wouldn't be here so quit moanin'" he gruffed back, dropping the handle of her suitcase and dumping his rucksack on the floor, causing sprinkles of snow to fall off and melt into the wood floor. Among the commotion of their bickering and other noises, a unfamiliar voice made its way into their ears.

"Hello there! Welcome to The Grand Hotel, how may I be of service?" The pair turned their heads to be met with the sight of a small figure, one that didn't distinctly say male or female. As they stood in silence, they both observed the frail shape of the person as their back humped over, causing their body to face the floor.

"Hi there, I'm Levy and this is Gajeel" She spoke politely, gesturing to Gajeel as she introduced him.

"Oh well hello dear, its nice to have unfamiliar faces in here every once in awhile!" Her hand reached out and took ahold of Levys, gently shaking it as her teeth flashed between her dry lips.

"Well, we got stuck here in the storm and told you could take us in with these?" Levys hand delved into her pocket and retrieved a smushed up ticket and handed it over to the figure. They glanced it over carefully before returning their eyes to the pair

"Ah yes, we can do that for you, although you have just missed dinner"

"I'm sure its fine, I'm not too hungry anyway" her soft voice spoke out before turning to Gajeel "What about you?" Gajeels lips parted to answer but the loud growling sound his stomach gave off did it for him.

"Theres a little place not far from here that does excellent food, just tell them I sent you and you'll be fine"

"Wow, thank you very much..uh.." Levys words trailed off as a question popped into her mind.

"Marlene, please feel free to ask for me if you have any problems"

"She" a small word escaped Gajeels lips as he processed her name, finally taking in her gender.

"What was that dear?" The lady spoke, moving slightly closer to him in expectancy of a response

"She um, She is very lovely, yes thats what he said, right Gajeel" Levy quickly shot a glare at Gajeel as she gently punched him in the stomach.

"Uh, yeah" he grumbled back, rubbing the back of his neck in order to avoid eye contact with either lady.

"Well, you pair should get going, I'll set up your room for when you come back"

"You sure you can handle the bags" Gajeel shot a look up and down Marlenes body, she wasn't exactly built very well, and he doubted her weak arms could handle his rucksack, let alone Levys suitcase.

"Oh I won't be moving them, I have someone for that. Jason!" Her shrail voice called up the stairs and before long, a well built figure emerged, a beaming smile on his face as he stopped in front of Levy. His hand reached out for hers and brought it up toward his face.

"Its a pleasure to meet you miss" His voice was quite masculine yet soft, the softness seeming to match the texture of his skin. He brought her hand up to his lips and gently placed them upon the top of Levys hand, causing her to blush at his movement. As he brought her hand back down, he continued to gently hold it in his grasp, before their contact was stopped.

"We should get going, I'm starving" Gajeel spoke out as his hand interjected between the embrace of the two, his words breaking the moments

"But I-" Levys words fell on deaf ears as he grabbed her arm, pulling it away from Jasons touch and towards the door. Pushing her small body in front of hers and making sure she was out of sight, his head turned back and glared at Jason, a small growling noise escaping his lips. Exiting the hotel door, he was met with a deadly glare, one he didn't like seeing

"What exactly was that all about?" She questioned his actions as her arms folded across her chest, she refused to move without an answer.

"I'm hungry, now lets go" His hand grabbed for her arms once again, but she quickly dodged his hand, instead beginning to walk alone off into the night. He wanted to play off his feelings, but maybe he was doing it too well.


	4. Chapter 4

Silently cursing her attire as she moved, her shoes sunk into the quickly setting snow, small flakes of white hitting her bare skin, sandals hadn't been the best decision for the cold winter weather. Quickening up her pace, she failed to note the texture change beneath her feet, as the soft snow below became hard and slippery ice, causing her to loose her footing. As her body fell backwards, a small scream escaped her frozen lips, knowing that all that awaited her was a rock hard floor and pain. But they never came. A pair of hands quickly grabbed onto her sides, propping her up mid air as she dared not to open her eyes.

"Whats the rush shorty? Not like they gonna run out of food" his rough voice called out behind her as his fingers gently pushed into her padded jacket, she could almost feel his touch on her skin. He pushed her back onto her feet and gave her a small pat on the back, urging her to continue to the restaurant ahead.

"Its my feet" she called out, he had moved ahead, but her body seemed frozen in place, her feet refusing to take another step. His body turned to face her as his eyes glanced down to her footwear. Striding towards her, he slowly bent down in front of her and made a small sound whilst patting his back. "What?" she watched on as a sigh escaped his mouth.

"Get on"

"You mean.. On your back?"

"No, on my spaceship yes my back" His sarcastic tone made her want to kick him in the groin, but the coldness of her feet eventually accepted the sanctuary of the cold air rather than the snow. Her arms loosely wrapped themselves across his chest, her fingers delving into the warmness of his jacket and rested between layers of material. His hands gripped onto her thighs as he continued to walk cluelessly into the night, unsure on which way to head. Continuing forward towards light, he started to feel the cold touch of her skin though his shirt, seemingly tracing the lines of his body, was it his imagination? Despite the cold, a weird warmth grew in his chest, quickly spreading through his body and making its way onto his cheeks. Sinking his head down, he quickened his pace forward, praying that the roads stayed quiet the more he approached what appeared to be the main town area. Her soft finger prodded itself into his body, her small nails leaving behind a small scratch in his skin, causing him to look up. Ahead, a small building sat between the darkness of the buildings beside it, illuminating the wide windows that stretched across the establishment. A board above the door read "Mimis Pub and Restaurant", the lettering sparkling a rose pink accompanied by snow white lights that twinkled around the words. Such a place didn't seem to fit in with the atmosphere the rest of the village gave off, but with his stomach urging him forwards, he tentatively made it to the front door, peering inside the windows before placing a hand on the doorknob and twisting it open. As he strode inside, he casually walked inside, forgetting the passenger riding atop his back, leaving her to hit her head on the doorframe on the way in.

"Ow! The hell was that for?" she called out in pain as she quickly slid off his back and onto her feet, rubbing her forehead as she spoke.

"What with you bein' so tiny, I guess I forgot you were there" He shot her a smirk as he shook the loose snowflakes off his body and onto the pink carpet beneath his feet. Looking around the establishment, the place seemed very quiet, with only a few men dotted around on tables staring blankly at a screen. Continuing to soothe her aching head with her cold hand, she felt an eerie presence behind her, like someone was watching her. Turning on her feet, she was met with a figure far taller than her, looming over her body like it was about to pounce. Falling back on her feet, her hands moved up to her face for protection as a small scream escaped her lips.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry!" a warm voice called out from above her, a wave warmness rippled through her body as the voices touch made its way onto Levys shoulder. Slowly pushing back the tears, her eyes opened and were met with a pair of honey brown eyes like her own, filled with love and kindness as their hands moved to Levys and assisted her up from the floor. "I didn't mean to startle you like that, its just been a while since we've seen any new faces around here, and your blue hair caught my attention." Levy took back one of her hands and quickly pushed back her azure curls behind her ears, hoping they wouldn't get her into more trouble.

"Whos your new friend short stuff?" His gruff voice called out from behind her, causing her to roll her eyes.

"I'm Mimi, its nice to see a lovely young couple in here again, it can get rather boring with all these men" She shot Levy a small wink, causing her cheeks to turn a soft pink that rivalled that of the carpet she stood upon.

"Couple? I'm more of a babysitter" He called out in laughter, punching Levy softly in the arm as he did so, but still managing to hit her with enough force that she had to regain her balance.

"What he means is that we're just in an awkward situation as of right now and are attempting to get home, but the storm has left us staying here tonight at Marlenes place"

"Marlene? My cousin sent you to me? Well I'm glad to see she has some customers for once" Her hands bawled together as a caring smile appeared on her face, her eyes watering at Levys words. "Oh, you poor kids must be starving, right this way." Her hand reached out and pointed in the direction of a small booth at the back of the room, isolated away from the other patrons of the bar. She quickly shuffled into the open side of the booth, her derriere pleased to have something soft cushioning her, rather than harsh backside of her companion. Perching herself on the edge, Gajeel took his place opposite her, his hands practically snatching the menus away from Mimis frail grasp. As she wondered back towards the bar to tend to other customers, her gaze focused on a pair of eyes watching her from across the room. A man quickly deviated his eyes away from her upon being caught by her honey eyes, focusing his attention back toward the giant television glued to the wall, joining in with the cheers and jeers of the other patrons. The sharp snap of pages caught her attention as she turned her attention by the hunk of metal sat across her, his hands slamming the menu onto the wooden table before calling out.

"Oi old bat, lets get some service over here" His voice echoed loudly through the establishment, yet the other patrons continued their fixation with the screen, only the small man from before daring to focus his attention on the pair for a few seconds amidst the commotion.

"Don't be so rude, we're customers here remember" she quietly snapped at him, leaning over the table as to not draw anymore unwanted attention towards them. Her eyes met with his, noting a playful manner within his look, causing her to grit her teeth in annoyance, no way was she going to let this heap of metal embarrass her.

"Are you pair ready to order?" a soft voice broke their gaze, causing Levy to slowly sink back into her seat, cursing his rudeness as she shot a smile towards the waitress. A luscious lady with indescribably long legs stood before them, dressed head to toe in black uniform, although Gajeel didn't seem to care.

"Get me one of these, two of these, a side of this" his grainy voice continued to list an assortment of meals from the menu, leaving Levy to drift off to her inner thoughts. Why, of all people was she stuck with this man, one who couldn't even stay awake during her story. Anyone else would have made a better companion, even a snail would have been better company, but no, she was stuck with an illiterate knumbskull who only had food on his brain. "And thats it" his fingers removed themselves from the pages of his menu before pushing it into the side of the waitress.

"And what about you Madam?" Her delicate voice softly brought Levy back to reality, realising that the pair in front of her both had their eyes fixated on her.

"Oh uh, I'll have the same" She politely handed over her menu before staring off into space, not even sure about the meal she had just ordered, she just wanted to head home. As the waitress walked away, her hand slid into the flap of her purse and delved through its contents, eventually pulling out a small metal object. Sliding across the menu with her thumb, she eventually selected one of the names before quickly typing out a short message to the receiver, before replacing the object back into her purse and replacing it with a book. Her fingers traced over the soft fabric that separated the aging paper between the confines of the covers, twirling the loose ribbon that hung over the edge, sticking out like a deer in the headlights. Returning to its contents, her mind was plunged into the painted world her mind dreamed up, filled with wondrous adventures and heart throbbing romance.

"So" an unexpected word entered her ears, letting her wonderous world dissolve in her mind. "What ya doin' headin' to Magnolia?" his gruff voice continued on as his attention turned to her.

"I live there"

"Bullshit, I never seen ya before, then again, ya are pretty tiny, could probably fit in my pocket" His laugh echoed throughout the building, his seemingly hilarious joke making him laugh more than her.

"I guess I say I'm moving back" she continued onwards, ignoring yet another of his jabs towards her height "I used to live there 4 years ago, but today was meant to be the day I move back" her fingers slid over the pages of her book, sighing as she slid her place holder back into place.

"And yer movin' on yer own? Didn't know they let kids live alone" his twisted laugh of Gihis boomed in the booth once again, how many more damn jokes was he going to make.

"Like I told you" She pushed out the words through gritted teeth "I'm 22 years old, what about you?"

"What about me? I look 25 don't I?"

"I meant, why are you going to Magnolia"

"Cuz I live there" His arms fell back behind his head as he rested back into the cushioned wall, slowly sighing as his eyes shut. "Lived there 2 years now, although its a heck of a place, bunch of weirdos livin' there"

"My friends live there along with my family I'll have you know" she puffed her cheeks at him, failing to notice his closed eyes

"Then your family are probably a bunch of weirdos too, friends as well" his eyes beamed open as a smirk set across his face, his eyes meeting hers as he spoke.

"And I bet you don't even have any friends" she retaliated, her own lips forming a smirk as she crossed her arms on the table, closing the gap between them.

"Lily is a damn good friend and could beat yours anyday" His hand slammed down on the table, moving his body towards hers, like a beast eyeing its prey before pouncing.

"And what makes her so amazing then?"

"He"

"What kind of a name is Lily for a man" she quietly giggled.

"Hes a cat thank you very much"

"A cat doesn't count as a friend, besides, its probably trapped living with you"

"No he is not"

"He probably is"

"No he isn't!" The pair continued to bicker about their companions residing in Magnolia for quiet some time, not even breaking to thank the waitress for bringing over their food. Only taking breaks to chew and swallow, the pair continued to argue into the night, failing to notice the room around them slowly emptying.


	5. Chapter 5

Full. Both their minds and stomachs were full to the brim. Somehow, Levy had managed to keep up with the giant trashcan situated opposite her that somehow managed to eat every last crumb, losing his cutlery and etiquette somewhere during the meal. Her mouth was full of new flavours, her taste buds dancing with every new taste. It danced a hot tango at the taste of hot spicy sauce dripping down her throat, whilst it danced a sweet merengue as sweet ice cream melted into her palette. Her small stomach met its challenge with groans and pain, but she would not be outdone by him. Throughout their meal, he continually made jabs at her stature, questioning when all the meals she consumed would burst out of her, but the only thing to burst out of her was an onslaught of swear words directed his way. Her eyelids slowly fluttered closed as she attempted to digest the onslaught of fat and sugary foods pushed through her lips.

"Ma'am" a voice broke her silent pleasure, causing her eyes to open back up to the sight of the waitress staring at her. "Here's your bill"

"My what?"

"The bill for the food" her hand placed down a small, silver platter filled with rolls of paper marked with numbers galore. Levy's fingers tentatively unfolded the receipt, her eyes darting to the large number sat at the bottom.

$256.79

They had spent the same amount of money Levy would let herself spend within months at University in just one sitting. Her mind spun at the thought of all that money, her stomach beginning to churn at the fact all that moneys worth sat inside of her. It growled like a wild beast, stirring inside of her.

"Oh god" A painful feeling started pushing itself from her stomach towards her throat, small bubbles of air escaping her lips.

"Is everything alright Miss?" The woman slowly bent down to examine the ticking time bomb sweating profusely in her chair.

"I have to go" Her hands digger into the soft cushioning of the chair, pushing her body into motion.

"You have to what?" A hand grabbed onto the waitresses arm and pushed her aside, causing her to fall flat into the carpet below. A splash of blue flashed before her eyes, sprinting straight towards the bathrooms, her feet barely making contact with the ground. The door slowly creaked shut, leaving the bar to fall in silence as several eyes diverted from the television towards the cause of the noise. They watched the wood carefully, waiting for any sign of life. Then it came. What sounded like a monster dying erupted from the bathroom, shocking many of the customers as it heaved and groaned from behind the door before falling into silence again. After some more uncomfortable noises and the sound of water, a pale figure shuffled its way back into view, her blue hair dripping wet, clumped in curls stuck to her face. Her feet scraped across the ground, barely lifting off the floor as she made it back to her seat. Honey eyes circulated the room, staring at all the faces watch her try to compose herself, pushing her back against the chair, those eyes still watching her. Softly, her fingers held onto her stomach as it continued to rumble, not completely empty of food. Her eyes scowled as she watched the patrons of the bar whisper with each other, gossiping at her expense.

"Fuck.. Fuck you guys" the words slowly pushed themselves out of her lips before her tongue peaked out of her soft, pink lips towards the men. Then it went black. Her head dropped onto the table, creating a loud bang that caught everyones attention. Her eyelids were shut, her body only moving in sync with her soft breathing. Like her body, the patrons of the room were motionless, silent, their minds trying to process what had just happened.

He watched her from the other side of the table, her back slowly rising and falling, the small sound of breath escaping her lips as she lay sprawled across the table. A small smile arose on his face, one that quickly turned into a smirk as he processed the past minutes events. Like her, his stomach felt strange along with his mind, but it wasn't the food doing it. Loud, gruff laughter erupted from him, his hands banging the hard wood of the table as he fell back in his chair. She had tried so hard to keep up with his appetite, but you can't pack too much in a little container. Soon, the whole room filled with joyous laughter as the men exchanged jokes at her misfortune. Well, except one person. Mimi stood behind the counter, watching the little blunette passed out at the table whilst the men laughed at her expense. She grabbed a key from under the bar before rushing to the door that led upstairs. After a few minutes, she returned with a light blanket and headed towards the table, finding the waitress huffed over Gajeel, receipt in hand.

"I don't care if she's unconscious, somebody has to pay for the food you ate"

"Do I look like I carry a fucking purse fulla money?"

"Then why did you order anything!?" The pair continued to bicker over the unpaid bill on the table as Mimi approached them, unseen by the pair. Her hand slowly stretched overs Levys back, laying the soft blanket over her cold skin, watching as she wriggled under its warmth.

"Take her home young man" she turned to face Gajeel, arms folded across her chest, a scowl on her face.

"We don't have a fucking home" He moaned at her order, his own muscular arms crossing against his chest.

"And they still have a bill to pay!" the waitress chimed in, snatching the receipt from the table and waving it about in the air like a flag.

"They can pay tomorrow, as for now, take that young lady back to the hotel so she can rest. Take the blanket with you and take care of her" her hand quickly grabbed the receipt from the waitress, stuffing it into her pocket before winking Gajeel's way.

"She can't walk in her condition" he called out in protest.

"You carried her here right? then you can carry her back"

"I doubt she'd stay on my back"

"There's more than one way to carry a woman" Mimi's hand grabbed onto the arm of the waitress, dragging her to the bar as she cursed. Gajeel's eyes fell on the peaceful woman across from him, unaware of all the problems he was causing him, but like himself, she had enough trouble as it was. Giving a nod toward the bar, his eyes caught Mimi's as she smiled at him, thankful for being let off the hook about payment, for now. He slid out from under the table and approached sleeping beauty as he had now dubbed her, his hands hovering over her body as he pondered his next move. After thinking over several ideas, his hand slowly slid under her knees, bringing her body close to his chest as the blanket remained wrapped around her. Heading for the door, the patrons of the bar watched him with tentative eyes, he didn't exactly look like the caring kind of man with all those piercings and scars.

Stepping out into the cold winter air, his body shivered at the snow falling on his bare skin as he began the walk back to the hotel. Somehow, the area felt emptier than on the way there, the sky seemingly darker, stretching on till the end of time. His boots crunched in the settling flakes of white as he walked freely in what seemed to be a road, yet no cars were visible upon it, not even parked on the sides. Continuing onwards, the warmth of her curled up body spread to his chest, something he was glad of. Her face was nuzzled into his body, her fingers in little balls on her legs as she slowly breathed, the cold breath escaping her pale lips into the night sky. Halfway back, she stirred in his hands, azure locks rubbing against his neck as she pushed herself into his body even more, she was enjoying this. He rolled her eyes at her movement, this had surely been her play to get him to pay for the food, she had to have known her limits. Or maybe she was as tired as he was. He should have been home by now, with his cat, with his own warm bed, maybe she wanted that too.

Finally reaching the door of the hotel, he managed to push it open with his back, but still failed at keeping her body from making contact with its frame, he would have to explain the inevitable bruise when she awoke. Noticing that the front desk was vacated, he slowly moved up the stairs for a sign of life, carefully listening for the old womans voice, with no success. Approaching the top of the stairs, he noticed a single wooden door engraved with flowers, hearts and other designs. Metal balls lined the edge of the design, an accent feature he particularly liked. Whilst observing the doors design, it swung open to the sight of the hotel owner, dressed in a nightgown and slippers.

"Whoops, didn't know this was your room"

"It isn't dear, I was just getting your room ready" his eyes glanced behind her body, noticing the rather pink decor inside "Come inside, the keys are on the table" her hand ushered him inside, a warm yet untrusting smile on her face. Slowly moving inside, his eyes surveyed the double bet situated in the middle of the room, covered in fluffy pink pillows and.. petals?

"Whats all this about?" he shot her a glance, his crimson eyes meeting her pools of blue.

"This is the room for the two of you, all the other rooms are booked so enjoy your night" as soon as she finished talking, her hand quickly grabbed the metal knob and pulled the door shut behind her, leaving Gajeel alone with a sleeping woman in his hands.

"Hey wait!" He called out after her, but judging by the footsteps he heard, she had already left down the stairs, and he couldn't exactly chase after her, not with a woman asleep in his arms. He noted the pile of bags in the corner, thankful that he at least had his possessions for the night, but he didn't put it pass that jackass guy to steal something. Remembering why his arms felt tired, he proceeded to head to the bed, laying her gently atop the covers and petals, resting her head up right on the plush pillow. He scanned the room for his own place to sleep the night, he didn't exactly want to be in bed beside this woman, not that she was ugly or anything, but he'd rather not wake up with her shouting at him. Coming to the conclusion that the only place beside the bed was the floor, he slowly kicked off his boots before grabbing a pillow and placing it down on the floor. He tossed and turned on the hardwood floor, desperately trying to get comfortable, with no success. He stripped himself of his shirt and belt, hoping that would make it feel more like home, but it only made him colder. After ten minutes of the floor, he sat up and stared at the bed, damn did it look comfy. She wouldn't mind right? its not like they slept together, they would just be.. sleeping together. He ascended from the floor and crawled under the covers, his body thankful for the warm cocoon he found himself in between the covers and mattress. It was bliss. The lights slowly faded out into the darkness as his eyes fell shut.

"Gajeel" his eyes slowly blinked open to her soothing voice, his blurry vision barely making out her face. His chest felt slightly cold, like ice was place upon it "Gajeel" she whispered again, that cold feeling jabbing his skin. His eyes finally opened properly, revealing her hand placed on his bare chest, her body tucked into the covers along with his own.

"What the fuck do you want? It's night" his hand wiped at his eye, barely managing to keep it open.

"I think.. I think" her soft voice relaxed him, he wanted to fall back asleep to it, or just back asleep at all.

"What is it shrimp?"

"I think I'm gonna be sick."


	6. Chapter 6

Light trickled through the small gaps between the gaps of the curtains, landing over the still bodies of strangers. Both were partially adorned in fabric, whilst the rest of their bodies wore nothing but their skin. Silently sleeping, the morning sun rose into the sky, dispelling the nights clouds and snow, shining down onto the settled flakes of white. Windows shook from the soft breeze of the morning, small sounds echoing through the room as the frames attempted to keep the glass panels in place. Despite the trips to the bathroom, their sleep had been quite peaceful, both nestled in the warmth of the blankets covering their bodies. Somewhere in the night, they had merged sides of the bed, arms and legs sprawled over the mattress, their legs partially intertwined. Azure locks of hair slowly raised and lowered in time with his heartbeat, the curls spread across his chest along with her head. Small fists rested atop his broad shoulders, a small scruff of fabric caught between her grip. Their heartbeats almost in sync, the sound of their breathing was quiet, yet she heard his soft breath as she awoke from her rest. Fluttering her eyes open, she attempted to look around the room, her blurred vision taking in a lot of pink. Stretching her arms out in front of her, they fell back to their position with a thump, causing an unusual groaning sound. Honey eyes fell to the motionless body below her, watching as his bare chest ascended in time with his breath.

"Kyaaa!" she screamed out, falling back from atop his body and out of the bed, falling backwards onto the floor. Her body cushioned by the soft carpet below her, she stuck frozen in place, watching the side of the bed as a hand came into view. His eyes came into view, along with his bare chest, showing off his ripped body. Although his skin was partially tanned, lighter coloured scars appeared dotted over his skin, each a different and peculiar shape.

"Gihi, if ya like the floor that much ya gotta scream about it, I shoulda let ya sleep there last night huh" watching as she picked herself up from the floor, he quietly laughed to himself, unsure of what had actually happened.

"Why are you naked?" Her hand came up to her face and covered her eyes, yet the small gaps between her fingers still enabling her to see. Her eyes shyly glossed over his impeccable abs, the likes of which she had only seen in magazines. Strands of black hair fell over the front of his body like waves, partially curling in places making them look like strands of seaweed.

"I'm not" His hand reached down for the sheet covering his body below his torso and pulled it to the side, causing Levy to scream and recover her eyes fully. After a few seconds of silence, she dared to glance a peek to find him sat on the bed, wearing a pair of long, white boxers that let his body move effortlessly as he rose from the bed. Noting her own attire, she realised the clothes covering her skin were dotted with faint marks of last nights dinner, a strong smell of the food accompanying the look too sadly. Feeling extremely embarrassed, she saw an open door behind the bed, possibly leading to a bathroom with a shower. However, a tall shadow began to fall over it as Gajeel approached the door, hand just inches away from it's handle.

"Wait!" she called out in a mad dash to grab his attention, which to her delight, surprisingly worked. Turning back to her voice, he watched as she quickly made her way to his side and attempted to run through the door, only to be stopped by an arm blocking her entrance.

"I don't think so shorty, you were in there all night, now it's my turn" His body loomed over her small figure as he went to step inside.

"That's not it" small fingers wrapped around his arm, stopping him in his tracks. "I need to tell you something." She pulled him back away from the door, her soft voice alluring him closer to her. Their two bodies within touching distance, the room fell silent as their eyes met, her fingers still softly gripping onto his arm. Her other hand slowly moving towards his bare chest, it rested just below his shoulder and began to move toward his neck, Levy taking in the soft touch of his skin as she explored his body. "See, the thing is, I'm really thankful for your help" Her body inched ever closer to his, whilst her hand gently pulled on his neck, closing the distance between his lips and hers. "And I think that I really...Really like you.." her lips parted for a second as she stood up on her toes, bringing their faces so close that he could feel her warm breath on his face. His eyes began to shut as he let her hands take control, moving over his skin and bringing a warmth he yearned for every Winter.

"...For letting me used the bathroom first" Within seconds, her soft touch was gone along with her voice, with only the sound of the door slamming shut and the door lock being heard. Opening his eyes, he found himself alone in the room, wondering what exactly had just happened. Realising he had just been tricked, his mind went into overdrive, attempting to pinpoint a main emotion from the several swimming about in his mind. Eventually, a groan from his stomach made him remember his dire need for the bathroom himself.

"Open up!" His fist banged against the wooden door as he yelled, legs partially crossed as he attempted to forget the urgent matter. Hearing the shower turn on, his efforts became fruitless after realising his voice would go unheard. Giving up, he turned back to face the bed, glancing around for some sort of place he could empty his body from last nights meal. Going to grab a few clothes from his bag, he noticed that both of her bags were still beside his, untouched from last night. Realising that she had all her clothes inside of her bag, he quickly dressed himself before slinging her bag over his shoulder and heading for the door, silently closing it behind him as he left.

After a long and relaxing shower, she exited the cubicle and began rubbing her wet azure curls dry, water droplets falling down her back as they escaped her hair. Securing all loose ends into a tight bun, she began drying off her skin, letting the droplets around her body be absorbed by the towel. Finally dry, she exited the bathroom to find the bedroom completely deserted, only the morning breeze coming through the open window making any sound. Confused yet glad about Gajeel's disappearance, she quietly hummed to herself as she made her way over to her bags to retrieve her clothes. Except they weren't there. Beginning to panic, she searched around the room in the hopes of finding her bag, everywhere from under the bed to the giant wardrobe that loomed over her. Opening her suitcase, she carefully rummaged through the neatly organised files and books, praying that she had packed at least some clothes in with her valuables. A small piece of fabric eventually met her fingers as she continued to search, praying that it would be something big enough to cover her body. It wasn't. The small ball of fabric in her hand had been a rather daring gift she had bought for herself last Christmas and hidden away in the hopes of forgetting it. Reluctantly sliding it over her legs and onto her body, she continued her search about the room for her bag, even one of his shirts would suffice at this point. After a while, a small whistling noise made it's way through the window and into her room, causing her to turn her attention to the open window. Carefully peeking outside as so not to expose herself, she watched as a tall figure with it's back to her swung a bag over his shoulders and began to walk away from the building.

"Hey!" she called out in an attempt to stop him from leaving, which to her delight, thankfully worked. The tall man turned around to reveal a devilish smirk plastered on his face as he removed the bag from his back, swinging it around the air as he laughed.

"You want this back shorty?" he called out between laughter.

"Yes! Give me my clothes!" she puffed her cheeks and yelled back at him, completely ignoring the random citizens who were walking through the street.

"Come and get em'" with another loud laugh, he headed off with the bag and out of her view. Furious, she tightened the towel covering her body and slipped on a pair of her sandals, grabbing the room keys as she slammed the door shut behind her. Speeding down the stairs, she ignored the old lady behind the desk who had several questions to ask about Levy's attire, cursing the fact she was letting people see in only a towel. Making it through the door, she scanned the immediate area for any sign of him or her bag, only to be met with several people staring at her, whispering between themselves at the state levy was in. Choosing to ignore them, she pressed on and followed in his footsteps, hoping to God that he hadn't walked off too far. Passing by several small shops and houses, she eventually found herself walking down a quiet alleyway, small lights illuminating her path as she walked. Spotting a tall figure stood still in the middle, she slowly made her way towards him in an attempt to steal back her bag, there was no way he would simply give it back to her. Nearing the bag, she reached out to grab it, only to see it fly up into the air and out of her reach.

"Gonna have to try better than that shorty" he turned around to look at her, that stupid smug look on his face from before. His arm was stretched into the air, the bag dangling just out of Levy's reach as he swung it in front of her.

"What do you want from me." she stepped forward toward him, her arms crossing against her chest as she questioned his motive.

"Nothing really, just wanted to teach ya a lesson" he towered over her as he spoke, his crimson eyes glistening in the light.

"About taking a shower?"

"About tryna trick me, this is just payback"

"Trying to? I'm pretty sure I succeeded" She smirked back at him, not willing to show any weaknesses despite how cold she was.

"Yeah, clearly ya succeeded" he snorted back as he looked down at the small towel just barely covering her body, causing her smile to fade as she remembered her attire. Not backing down, she moved closer to him, placing her hands on his body.

"Look, I'll do anything to get my stuff back" she shot him a blink as her finger traced over his chest, watching as his cheeks softly tinted pink.

"Ain't gonna work a second time" he closed his eyes and turned his head toward the wall, his smile slightly dipping at her touch.

"Anything." she whispered in his ear, causing his arm to slightly drop, leaving the bag within Levy's reach. Jumping up, she grabbed onto the bag and pulled it from his grasp. Opening his eyes, he was met with more of Levy than he expected to see.

"Hah! I got you again! It's too easy" she confidently held up her head, smiling at her victory.

"Uhm.." he quietly spoke, unable to actually form any words, nor take his eyes off of her.

"What?" opening her eyes, she noticed that his gaze was fixated on her body, his cheeks a bright red. Looking down, she saw the white towel lying atop the snow, instead of her body. "Kyaa!" she screamed upon realising she was practically naked in the middle of the street, causing her to squat down to the floor in attempt to cover herself up. The cold air finally hitting her, goosebumps began to show on her skin as snow filled her shoes. Cursing his name and the fact that he had the audacity to look at her, she was tempted to stand up and knock him out cold, although that would give him another chance to stare at her body. Shivering in the cold, she suddenly felt a warm material wrap itself around her body, covering her naked body and warming her up. Opening her eyes, she looked up to find Gajeel stood without his coat, looking down at her with a small yet noticeable smile.

"Let's go" picking up her bag and slinging it onto his back, he held out his hand and assisted Levy up from the ground. The two slowly walked back toward the hotel, both ignoring the pairs of eyes on them as they ventured back. As the snow began to fall again, their bodies moved closer on their walk, their fingers dangling just inches away from each others.

"Hey shorty"

"What is is now?"

"Those are some nice pants ya got there"

"Oh shut up" thumping him in the side, they continued the walk back in silence, both of them taking in the mornings events.


	7. Chapter 7

**Long time no update huh? I'm really sorry about that and I promise it won't happen again! I also finally got a Beta reader for this story (Lord knows it needed one) So special thank you to Kiss-Me-Khaos for putting up with me! Thank you for reading this chapter :p**

* * *

Arriving back at the door to the hotel, Levy gingerly poked her head through the door, quickly scanning the area for any signs of life. Upon realising the front desk was deserted, she slid through the tiny crack in the door and started shuffling her way across the room, hoping not to make too much noise. After taking a few steps, the sound of wood slamming against metal echoed through the room. Turning, she was met with the smug grin wiped over Gajeel's face as he followed behind her, his boots seemingly slamming into the ground with every step. Realising his plan, she quickly darted up the stairs and back towards the room, hoping to make it back unnoticed by any of the other guests. Traipsing up the stairs after her, he eventually made his way back to the room, only to find the door still open, with multiple voices being heard from inside. Poking his head around the doorway, he spotted what seemed to be an even smaller Levy, accompanied by Marlene who was draped in a long, pink gown that matched the decor of the the room.

"There he is now!" her voice called out for him as her eyes met with his. "Come in young man, I have to speak with you both" Complying with her order, he stepped inside of the room, placing down Levy's bag beside the door and moving to stand beside Levy, who was seemingly redder than before. "Now I know young couples can be frisky but-"

"We're not a couple lady." Gajeel replied, staring down at Levy and realising that she was still only covered in his jacket.

"Well.. As I was saying, you kids need to respect the other guests and dress.. more appropriately." She eyed Levy up and down as she spoke, making her puff out her cheeks.

"That wasn't my fault! That was his fault!" Her hand formed a small fist and hit him in the hip, attracting his attention as his gaze moved to her.

"My fault? Ya deserved it for using my shower" His arms folded across his chest as he turned her way, leaning over her petite body.

"Your shower? You haven't even used it yet!" she made herself look taller by rising on her feet before moving her head toward him and sniffing, "And I can tell."

"I do not smell! You're the one who smells of flowers and girly things."

"Better than smelling like iron and sweat!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Excuse me" a voice interrupted their argument, helping them both remember that they were not alone. "I'm not here to blame either of you, just please don't do it again" looking their way, a gentle smile formed on her face as she headed towards the door. "Oh, and by the way, I hope you've not forgotten about the check at the restaurant." Shutting the door behind her as she left, silence filled the room as the pair stared back at each other.

"You didn't pay the bill last night?" She copied his body language, crossing her arms across her chest as she looked at him in confusion.

"Do I look like I have that kinda money? Besides, ya passed out so they let us go till this mornin'." His toothy grin showed a proudness at his remark.

"Well, grab your wallet and let's go pay, the sooner we start heading towards Magnolia, the sooner we'll get there." Moving back to the door, she grabbed her bag and started unpacking her clothes. He watched as she lay out her clothes on her bed and started removing his jacket before she stopped. "Could you, maybe not look?" Her eyes fell to the floor as she tried to cover up her body from his gaze.

"Whatever you want shorty" he turned his back and started rummaging around in one of the drawers for a few towels, before heading towards the bathroom door.

"Thanks, I know that some men just want to oggle girls when they're changing like this" Her head slightly turned as she spoke, her eyes glancing his way as he stepped into the bathroom.

"Well, it's not like you got much to oggle at anyway, I learnt that last night when you showed me." Shutting the door behind him, he quickly locked the bathroom with the key, resting his head against the door as he listened to her banging on the wood from the other side. Both statements had been total lies, not that he would admit that to her, but he somehow found himself laughing silently at her persistant curses through the door. Despite his urgency to get home, he wouldn't exactly mind if their travel home together lasted a few days longer.

"I did not!" Her argument seemed fruitless as he continued to walk in silence ahead of her. After changing, she had sat herself down on a spare chair outside of the bathroom, waiting for Gajeel to exit and answer her questions about the previous night's endeavours. To her misfortune, he had failed to see her and had simply knocked her flat on the floor, leaving her seemingly more annoyed than before. Despite her continuous questions, he had failed to answer a simple one, only telling her to 'grab a coat' as they left the bedroom. "I didn't I swear… Did I?" Doubt had begun to circulate in her mind after hearing nothing but sighs escape his lips. Picking up her pace, she finally walked beside him, watching as his eyes seemed to focus on everything but her. "Because if I did show you anything I can assur-" As her words trailed off, her feet stopped moving forward, her movement being stopped by what felt like a pole in her stomach.

"If I answer ya damn question, will you quit moanin' in my ear?" His arm moved from her stomach as his hands grabbed onto her shoulders, turning her body toward him as he spoke.

"I wasn't moaning, I was simpl-"

"You didn't show me nothing, I made it up alright?" The feeling of his fingers disappeared as replied, eventually falling back to his side and delving into the warmth of his pockets. As the sound of boots crunching into the snow receded, she had received her answer, yet still had more questions.

"Wait, Gajeel!" Running toward him, she was surprised to see him stop straight away, so surprised, she ended up running into his back.

"What is is Shrimp? You that excited to pay?" Looking down as he spoke, he was met with her puzzled look. "We're here." Stepping to the side, he gave her full view of the giant board that hung above their heads, it's bright lights dimmed by the noon sun. Walking inside, the pair were greeted by a strong smell of sweet foods, with barely a seat left empty in the restaurant. Looking around, they found that the source of the smell was coming from delectable treats such as strawberries and pancakes, seemingly left over from the morning. Gone were the rowdy drinkers of the night, and in front of them, were crowds of families and happy couples, talking silently between themselves as soft music played throughout the room. Stepping inside, they managed to spot a familiar face in Mimi, standing behind the counter, taking in order after order from the waitresses. Walking through the large room, eyes fell upon the pair as they walked towards the counter, other customers exchanging glances and whispers as they watched on from their tables.

"Ah, it's you two, I was wondering if I'd see you again." a warm smile graced her face as she spoke, her full attention on the pair despite the business around her.

"Hi lady, we're here for her to pay the bill." His thumb pointed down towards Levy, something she wasn't happy about.

" _We're_ here to pay the bill." Mimicking his actions, her thumb pointed up in his direction, shortly after jabbing itself into Gajeel's side.

"Yes well, after what happened last night, I should be giving more of the bill to him, considering you gave us back most of the food you ate in the bathroom" Mimi's smile became lopsided as she laughed, her eyes trying to look anywhere but at Levy. Moving to grab a cheque, she returned back with a card machine and the bill, handing it over as she watched the pair bicker between them on who was paying first. After Gajeel had paid his half, she watched as Levy tentatively pushed her card into the slot, her hands seeming to shake as she did so. "Nervous?" Her soft voice spoke as she met Levy's gaze.

"It's just, it's a lot of money that's all." Sighing, Levy pushed her fingertip onto the buttons, awaiting for the machine to take her hard earned cash.

As she waited, Mimi leaned over the counter to get a better look at the pair, the balls of her feet wobbling in the air as she rested atop her toes. "So you didn't bring it back then." Her voice was sharp yet inquisitive as she eyed up Gajeel.

"Bring what back exactly?" As she slipped her card out of the machine and back into her purse, Levy's attention turned to Gajeel, his face just as confused as hers.

"Whadya mean lady?" Gajeel replied in a gruff tone, his eyes becoming small slits as he pondered her question.

"The blanket you used last night when you carried her home."

Almost as if cogs turned inside of his brain, his eyes opened wide, his cheeks beginning to resemble one of the strawberries situated on the other side of the counter. Looking down, he realised Levy's actions mirrored his own, her cheeks glowing pink and her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Gajeel, what exactly is she talking about? I thought I walked" Levy spoke softly, moving closer to him as so not to attract the other customers attention.

"Well.. Uhh.. You see.." Panicking, the cogs in his brain started to spin into overdrive as he searched for an answer, how could he explain carrying her home bridal style? How he enjoyed the warm touch she left on his body? For once, he was left speechless, his eyes scanning the room for a scapegoat. Reaching across the counter, he grabbed onto one of the plates situated on the tabletop, before bringing it back into view and right under her nose. Atop the plate, sat seemingly perfect circular pancakes, drizzled in honey, accompanied by strawberry slices and whipped cream. "Here, have one of these." He thrust the plate into her stomach, watching as her hands struggled to catch it before it fell to the floor.

Holding onto the plate, she watched as the sweet honey dripped down the sides of the pancakes, the strawberries starting to drown in the brown sweetness. The smell of sugar wafted up her nostrils, her senses lighting up at the pleasant smell. Usually, her mouth would drool at the prospect of filling her stomach with this treat, but instead, her mouth was dry, and her stomach growled at the thought of eating it. Placing the plate onto the side, her hands returned to her stomach, cradling it as it continued to exert a loud noise, one similar to a lion.

"Ex..Excuse me." Turning on her feet, she darted towards the bathroom as fast as her legs could carry her, already far too familiar with where it was situated. Gajeel watched on as she rushed past him faster that anything he'd seen before, his eyes barely catching her pass by. The room fell silent as it did last night, and he could feel history repeating itself, that same burning sensation in his back as he felt their eyes on him. He didn't dare to look back at them all, knowing that it would be better to avoid them rather than attract more attention. But the one set of eyes on him he couldn't avoid were hers, that glass stare attracting his attention from across the bar.

"Look after that one, she's precious." Her words fluttered in the air, only her voice reaching him as the restaurant returned to normal.

"I will."


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm…Never eating again." The words seemed to fumble out of her mouth aside a small dribble of saliva. The past thirty minutes had been spent cuddling the rim of the toilet bowl as she attempted to empty herself of her sickness and the pain that accompanied it. Her face as pale as the snow surrounding her feet, she trundled on as she walked, her feet barely making it off the ground.

"I'm still surprised you had anything left in ya, considering ya size and all." Gajeel had been kind enough to stay behind at the restaurant and watch over her bag, yet still not kind enough to help her in any other way, choosing instead to throw more nicknames and jabs about her size.

"Really not the time.." Her words fell silent in the air, her voice barely audible to Gajeel who was sufficiently further up the road than her. Turning back, he watched as her body seemed to sway from side to side with every step she took, her locks of hair covering up her face. The colour seemed faded as she caught up to him, the curls looking flat and without volume.

"You really don't look well" He bent down to look at her, barely able to see her eyes behind the massive scarf she wore. Stopping just in front of him, her eyes eventually met his, the soft, brown colour of them now bleak in comparison.

"Congratulations, you have eyes." She managed to practically whisper a reply as she fought through a onslaught of coughs. Resting her hand on his shoulder, she gently pushed him aside and continued to walk onwards, her shoes becoming lost in the soft snow. Standing up straight, he slowly carried on walking behind her, watching as her path became more and more wobbly, her feet almost daring to take her into the road. After a minute of seeing her speed deteriorate, he decided to step in.

"You're going to hurt someone if you keep going like this." He slowed his pace to walk side by side with her, his hand stretched out to her back, ready to catch her if need be.

"How else… Will I get back? And…" Her sentence was lost in a fit of coughs that made her lose balance, causing her to fall back into Gajeel's touch. As the area fell into silence again, he carefully picked up her body and sighed at the coldness of her skin as her hands draped around his neck. Thankful that the streets of the area always seemed so empty, he shuffled Levy about on his back before continuing to head back to the hotel. Hearing her small breaths in his ear, he found the rhythm quite peaceful and didn't mind her warm breath on his skin. Knowing she was out cold, he hummed to himself silently, the pace of her breathing helping to make a nice rhythm.

"I can't keep carrying you forever yanno, sometime you'll have to walk without me." His words fell into deaf ears as she continued to sleep blissfully on his back for the rest of the walk.

* * *

"Ah, I see your back then! How was my sister?" Marlene welcomed back the pair as Gajeel walked through the door, once again, forgetting the passenger on his back and letting her head collide with the doorframe. Despite his moaning and attempts to wake her up, she had stayed motionless on his back, the nickname Sleeping Beauty reigning true again. Setting her down on a nearby chair in the lobby, he released his hold on her thighs before rubbing the back of his neck as he looked towards Marlene.

"She's fine, wants her blanket back though."

"Ah, well I'm sure she'll send one of the waitresses along, lovely young girls they are." Her eyes seemed to sparkle more as she spoke about the girls, her usual smile becoming more like a smirk Gajeel would typically give off.

"Yeah well, we payed the bill so I'll be taking her back up to the room, she's still not well." His thumb pointed back in Levy's direction, yet Gajeel chose to keep his focus on Marlene, who leaned to the side in order to give a concerned look Levy's way.

"I can help carry her if you want?" A more masculine voice replied as it entered the room. Turning, Gajeel found Jason to be stood beside the chair Levy was blissfully dreaming on, his hand playing with a lock of her hair.

"I can handle carrying her myself just fine thank you." Gajeel bit back as he moved towards Levy, looming over her body and Jason as he pushed himself between them.

"Well, let me know if she wakes up, I'd like to have a word with her." Jason gave off a smug grin as his eyes traced over her body, seeming to take in every part of her.

"Unfortunately, I only came back to pack our bags, as we're leaving today." He couldn't stand to watch Levy be looked at like that, she was asleep and had no way to fend for herself. Granted, what he had just said was a complete lie, but he wanted to get home sooner than later, and he knew that she wanted to as well. Asleep or not, she was coming with him.

"So soon?" Marlene interjected "But there's so much more of our little village to see, wouldn't you like to stay another night?"

"Look, our tickets gave us one free night here, and one night only, my wallet was already stretched enough today." Turning his attention away from Levy, he moved towards the stairs and started to ascend them, quickly looking back to check on his travel companion. He wanted to take her upstairs with him, away from that creep, but sooner or later, he'd have to leave her alone. She wasn't his responsibility, she wasn't anything more than someone he was travelling with, yet he still felt worried for her safety. He wanted to make sure she was safe; along with himself of course, if she found out about him leaving her alone like this, she'd surely beat him up. It made him laugh slightly, thinking about someone so small being able to stand up to him, to go toe to toe with him when eating, teasing him back the way she teased him, it was nice. Finally making it back to the room, he fumbled about through her stuff, trying to decipher what belonged to her, and what belonged in the pretty pink palace. Hauling the bags over his shoulder and grabbing her suitcase, he made his way downstairs and dumped the bags down before searching outside for a taxi. He didn't want to stay here any longer, especially when she was at risk.

Finally finding a taxi, he started packing their stuff into the boot, keeping an eye on Levy as he did so. Their stuff packed, his arm went under her legs as he picked her up, moving her into the car before doing up her belt.

"Wait!" A voice called out from the doorway of the hotel. "When she wakes up, can you give her this from me?" His hand stretched out towards Gajeel, a slip of paper between his fingers. Reaching out, Gajeel reluctantly took the paper, shoving the slip into his pocket before jumping into the taxi and started heading out of town. As the car drove through the roads, he opened up the piece of paper that read:

 _Roses are red_

 _Your hair is blue_

 _I think you're really cool_

 _Call me bugaboo - 07…_

A small laugh escaped Gajeel's lips as he shoved the paper back deep into his pocket. Staring over at Levy, he watched her chest slightly move up and down as she continued to sleep, unaware of what was going on. He doubted a girl like her would want anything to do with a slimy guy like that, she deserved better.

* * *

 _Swaying. The whole boat moved in harmony with the sea it rode, the wind carrying it along through the waters. Small, white clouds dotted the sky, leaving a rich, arctic colour draping over her head. Below, the soft waves rippled against the wood of the hull. Her small size was countered by that of the boat, it's size only able to hold two men and their cargo. Her azure locks fluttered in the wind, her headband doing little to tame them as the boat continued forward. Her eyes fell down to the water below, the sea being filled with miniscule creatures moving about underneath her. A gruff moan exerted from the Captain's mouth as he tried to control the swaying sails, adjusting them in accordance with the wind picking up. Moving to stand up, her legs wobbled from the waves below, causing her to fall into her Captain's back. Like instinct, her arms wrapped around his broad body, her fingers intertwining as they met. His large hand seamlessly cupped both of hers in his own, his calloused skin reminding her of his hard work on the ship. Between the sound of the waves lapping against the boat, and the sound of birds high about, she heard his rough voice call out to her._

 _Levy…_

 _Levy…_

"Levy?" Eyes fluttering open, she found herself being swayed back and forth crazily, her shoulders trapped in a tough grip. Once her vision was no longer blurry, she noted the familiar face sat across from her, his hands gripped onto her shoulders. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she looked around to find herself inside, yet her body was still moving.

"Where are we?" Rubbing her eyes, she was sure she had been in her surroundings before, yet this wasn't the restaurant, nor was it the hotel.

"I thought you'd never wake up, you were out cold for hours." Releasing his hands from her body, he sank back into his seat, buckling himself back in. "We're in a taxi, I thought it would be good for us to keep moving back to Magnolia, before another storm hits."

"You could've at least told me." Folding her arms across her chest, she found that she had already been buckled up in a seatbelt, making her wonder if Gajeel had perhaps done it for her.

"I tried kid, I've been shaking you for a while now, but ya must've been having a real good dream or somethin'." He eyed her up suspiciously, watching as she squirmed at his response, her cheeks tinting pink.

"So what if I was? I'm allowed to dream aren't I? And I'm not a kid." Puffing out her cheeks, she turned her attention out of the window, noting the setting sun just barely out of view, whilst behind them, darkness encaptured the road. It didn't seem like much of a real pathway, with the car shaking and rattling every few seconds over what she presumed to be rocks and potholes.

"She's finally awake then." A new voice chimed in from the front seat, drawing Levy's attention back inside.

"Seems that way." Gajeel began to speak. "Forgot babies needed to nap during the day." A chuckle escaped the males lips as Levy began flailing her arms at Gajeel, moaning about the way he treated her.

"I'm not a child! I have my ID you know!" Reaching down to her side, she was surprised to find her bag was not there. "Gajeel.. You did grab all my stuff right?"

"It's all in the back shorty, it's gonna be a long drive so be patient."

"Ah…" The driver spoke "About that.."

"MY STUFF ISN'T GONE IS IT?" Grabbing onto the seat in front, she pulled herself forward, practically in the driver's face as she shouted.

"No… Miss." A hand came off the wheel and tended to his ear after being shouted in. "That storm is still out here, so I'll have to drop you off somewhere pretty soon so I can turn back." Retracting her grip on his seat and falling back into her own, she looked over at Gajeel, who seemed not to care too much, at least, that's what it looked like.

"Where exactly ya gonna drop us off? Not another stupid village fulla pervs I hope."

"Gajeel! Nobody in BlueBell was a pervert, the only pervert there was you yanno." As she stared him down, his hand fell over his pocket, wondering if he should dare to tell her what happened.

"I'll drop you folks off near an old lodge that's up on the mountain, it's a nice place, plus it'll be free for you guys to stay a night or two." Quickly looking back, he smiled at the pair, before returning his gaze on the road. As they continued to bicker and laugh in the background, his mind fell on the Lodge, he hadn't exactly been lying about it being free, but he wasn't even sure if the place still existed. Turning on his wipers as the snowflakes began to mount, he reassured himself they would be ok… Right?

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Side notes: Bugaboo is a random name I call my cats sometimes when I need their attention. Dreams are also going to be a big part of this story too! (And UK numbers start with 07 for anyone wondering) Thanks to my Beta Khaos for helping me as usual :)**


	9. Chapter 9

Pulling up onto the curb of the road, the taxi slowed to a gradual halt, sliding slightly in the set snow. The drive had been fairly quick, despite the caution the driver took about his speed. Turning the key, the noise of the engine stopped and the lights disappeared, leaving the car to plunge into silence, surrounded by an eery darkness outside. Unbuckling his belt, Gajeel was the first to exit the vehicle, not taking any caution as he walked out normally. Tentatively placing one foot out of the door, Levy was relieved to find a hard surface beneath her foot, instead of the powdered snow she had become accustomed to walking around in recently. As the driver hopped out of the taxi and took Levy's hand to aid her, he pushed a button on his keys, opening the boot and bringing light back into the area. Removing the bags and suitcase, Gajeel dropped them onto the ground before scouting out what little he could see of his surroundings.

"Where the heck are we anyway?" Leaning over to the side, he managed to catch the driver's eye as he helped Levy avoid a patch of ice on the road.

"Not too far from the lodge, it's just up on that hill over there." Extending out his free hand, his finger pointed up between the trees and into the darkness. Grabbing his phone, Gajeel managed to shine the light from his screen in the general direction the driver indicated, barely making out a pathway that disappeared into the forest.

"How far away is this Lodge exactly?" Looking up, Levy questioned the driver as he fumbled around the car to shut the boot.

"Not too far." His hand moving to scratch the back of his neck. The driver hoped that it wasn't too far for the pair to walk, especially with the dangers of slipping on ice and other fatal things that could happen. Once the boot was shut along with the doors, he climbed back inside the driver's seat, turning on the ignition before looking back at the travellers. "One last thing I might need to add.." Watching their faces become scrunched up in confusion, he clipped in his seatbelt and shut the door. Winding down the window, he waited till they moved far away enough from the car before speaking. "The place may or may not be a wreck, and may or may not even exist anymore.." Pushing his foot down onto the gas, the car hesitantly began to move over the ice, something that thankfully made his getaway that much quicker. Left alone in the middle of the road, Levy and Gajeel looked at each other in horror at the confession. They were screwed.

"Well, let's go." Moving back off the road and toward the path, Gajeel picked up his bag and strapped it other his shoulders before taking the handle of Levy's suitcase, beginning to pull it up the path. "You coming?" He looked back to find Levy stood still out on the road, her eyes seemingly staring into space.

"Hmm?" Finally realising that Gajeel was talking to her, she moved off the road and picked up her bag. Opening it up, her hand delved deep inside, rummaging round for the perfect thing. "Ah! I found it!" Pulling out a long, round item, she pushed one of it's buttons and a ray of light illuminated the path ahead. "I was going to use it to read with, in case it got dark, but now it comes in super handy." Strapping her bag closed and putting it over her shoulders, she took a few tentative steps forwards onto the path, lighting up the muddied path to watch out for any danger. Following behind her, Gajeel moaned at the weight of her suitcase, having to pull that much harder to get the wheels to even nudge. Ascending the path, the light from Levy's torch helped them avoid holes in the path, along with the stray rock here and there. After walking for five minutes, the trees surrounding them thinned out, allowing the moon to light their way even more. The hill becoming steeper, Levy moved down to sit on a rock, wiping her forehead with her arm as she sighed.

"Come on shorty, we'll be there soon." Stopping in front of her, Gajeel watched as Levy struggled to catch her breath, eventually pushing her free hand into the rock and rising to her feet.

"How soon is soon exactly? It feels like we've been walking for hours."

"Shine ya light over here for a second then." His hand gestured out and his finger pointed down to the flashlight. Complying with his request, she shined the light over his way, curiously watching as he put his hand deep into his pocket. When he found what he was looking for, a small light lit up in his hand as he sighed. "It's been five minutes shorty, but I guess with your short legs, it seems longer." Silently laughing at his own joke, he looked back at his phone screen, noting the fading signal he was receiving.

"Tch. You could at least be kinder to me, I'm still feeling kind of sick."

"I'm not carrying ya if that's what ya after, I told ya already that I won't do that forever." Stuffing the phone back into his pocket, his hand grabbed back onto the handle of her suitcase, groaning at the weight as he eventually got its wheels back into motion.

"And when exactly did you say that?" Sprinting slightly to catch up to him, she shined the light over his face as she questioned him, making his free hand cover up his face.

"Don't shine that thing at me like that, it's rude." Trying to look anywhere but in her direction, his mind fell back to a few hours prior, when he had spoken to her whilst she was out cold. He didn't want to tell her about talking to her whilst she was in that state, but he still wouldn't be proved wrong. "Gimme that light a second."

"What for exactly? And you still haven't answered my question you know?"

"Just, let me borrow it for a second, so I can shine it somewhere." Stretching out his hand, he watched as she reluctantly dropped it into his palm, a worried look sprawling across her face as she did so. Gripping it tightly, he let the light beam travel off between the scattered trees and up towards the mountains. Directing it slightly right of the pathway, he spotted a squarish shaped darkness up ahead, the light barely reaching it. "That's gotta be it, that's the lodge up there, let's go." Picking up his pace, he tugged on the suitcase, the wheels bouncing over rocks and cracks in the pathway below.

"How did you even know it would be there?" Running up the path to catch up with him, she stayed close to his side as he continued to light their way.

"Just a lucky guess, now come on! It's cold out here." As their conversation withered away into silence, they valiantly pushed onwards. After avoiding a few fallen twigs and rubble, they were stood outside the door of the… Lodge?

"This doesn't look like the place he described.." Eyeing up what little she could see of the exterior, it was certainly small, and looked like it hadn't been touched for a while.

"It ain't no fancy pants place, but it'll do." Shining the light on the door, his other hand pushed onto the wooden door, it creaking and moaning under the force. Finally opening, Levy watched on as Gajeel casually walked inside as if the place was his true home.

"Try to be at least a little bit careful!" Peering inside, her hands gripped tightly onto the straps of her bag, her cold breath escaping into the night air. "We don't know what or who could be in this place." Mustering up her courage, she took a small step inside, her heart racing as she looked around.

Dropping the suitcase handle and unloading his bag onto the floor, his arms stretched out wide as he took in the air. Looking over to the side, he watched as Levy slowly tapped her foot on each of the floorboards before trusting her weight on any of them. "If I walked over them, then ya small size won't budge em'" Stretching out a hand her way, she reluctantly grabbed it, her feet practically floating across the floorboards. "Now, let's sort out some power, or at least find out where we are."

Picking up the flashlight, he pointed in the direction of a narrow hallway, with two doors leading off of it from either side. Flicking the light over the other way, he let it slowly fall over the room, taking in the horror of what he saw. Pushed up against the wall, was a tattered and old couch, one of its cushions seemingly missing. Beside it, was a strangely well built nightstand, completely void of any decoration or anything sat atop its surface. Continuing his sweep of the room, he noted a few books here and there scattered across a small carpet on the floor. There was also a small light hidden away in the corner, adorned with a hole-filled fuchsia lampshade.

"Do you think someone lives here? I mean, maybe this isn't the lodge at all.." Grabbing onto his arm, Levy's fingers slightly digged into the fabric of his jacket, her heart rate picking up as thoughts crossed her mind.

"Did it look like there was another place all the way out here? And besides, if someone did live here, I'm sure the door wouldn't have been that easy to get through." Finishing his scan of the room, his attention turned back towards what seemed to be the kitchen. "Let's check for food, although I doubt there's gonna be much." Shining the light down at her face, he saw the worried look she gave off, coupled with the tight grip she had on his arm, he knew that she was anything but happy. Moving their way through the room, they carefully made their way into the hallway, noting the peeling wallpaper hanging from the walls. Coming in front of two doors, they decided to enter into the door on their left first, hoping to find the source of the power. Instead, they were greeted by a strange odor coming from an old bathtub situated by the back wall. Shining a light inside, they saw a few specks of mould growing around the plughole, small drips of water coming from the showerhead clearly funneling their growth. Aside, from the bath itself, the bathroom didn't seem to be in too bad shape, with a seemingly working sink and toilet dotted around the small room.

Backing out into the hallway, Levy closed the door behind her, being careful not to pull too hard on the handle as it seemed to be missing a screw or two. Pushing and pulling on the opposite door, Gajeel seemed to be having trouble opening it. "Stand back." His hand pushed into Levy's chest, moving her to the side as he backed up into the wall.

"You're not going to do what I think you're going to do… Are you?" Watching on from the side, her body froze up as she watched on. Gajeel's foot collided with the door, making it fly open. Levy's body shrunk at the loud sound, her hands covering her face as she felt herself become smaller. As the dust settled, her hands stopped shaking long enough to fall back to her sides, her eyes managing to readjust to the darkness of the hallway. Watching Gajeel stride inside, she quickly followed behind him, not wanting to be left alone in the darkness. "I'm sure there was probably a more effective way of getting in here that didn't involve violence you know."

"What's that?" Turning round, he flashed the light in her face as he spoke. "Not one for violence hey? Then you wouldn't like me much." Turning back around to inspect the room, he missed the small blush appear on Levy's face as she took in his words.

"Well.." Trying not to choke on her own words, she took in a large breath before continuing. "I already know that I don't like you, violent or not."

"We'll have to sleep together." Not turning to face her, she was shocked at his blunt words, sending her fist straight into his back.

"I just said I DON'T like you! Why would I sleep with you!?"

"Well, there's only one bed, so unless you want that mangey looking couch for the night, be my guest." Placing a hand over his now slightly throbbing back, he shined the light over the to the bed, a fairly large bed with seemingly clean sheets, which worried Levy yet calmed her at the same time.

"We still need to find some form of power, I can't just walk round with that light all night." Tugging slightly on the sleeve of his jacket, Gajeel followed her out of the bedroom door, choosing to leave it open to avoid kicking it open again. Walking back into the hallway, he used the flashlight to scan the nearby area, looking for anything that could lead to solving their lack of power. With no luck, the pair moved into the kitchen, searching all the cupboards and drawers they could open. Eventually, the light managed to shine over a strange looking piece of wallpaper pressed against the plain wall, seeming out of place. Peeling it back as Levy held the light steady, his hand traced over the buttons scattered across the board he found behind. "Do you have any clue how to work this thing?."

"I'm a mechanic, so I've dabbled in this sort of stuff before."

"Pfft, that's a big word for you to use."

"Shuddit, just shine the light over this area would you?" Complying with his wish, Levy bent down next to Gajeel, directing the beam of light towards an area that seemed bare compared to the rest of the board. "See this here?" Pointing his finger at a the corner of the board, Levy hummed in compliance, nodding her head when he looked her way. "Well, there's meant to be some form of switch here that turns the power on and off."

"But, there's nothing there?"

"Exactly. So you know what that means right?"

"We don't have any power…"

* * *

 **Yay for updates! Thanks to the otterly wonderful Khaos as usual! I wonder what will happen next..**


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